


Victory

by commandershakarian



Series: Fallout one shots [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, Fallout, Guns, The Brotherhood of Steel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 09:29:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6748327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandershakarian/pseuds/commandershakarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caroline, Vault 111's Sole Survivor, finds herself unexpectedly falling for Paladin Danse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Victory

**Author's Note:**

  * For [helila](https://archiveofourown.org/users/helila/gifts).



> This cute little story is for @helila on Tumblr. Thanks for being such an awesome friend! *hugs and smooches* love ya!

Caroline remembered the exact moment she fell in love with him.

A radiation storm had recently passed, leaving the Commonwealth drenched with acidic water. With each step she took, her feet sunk into mud, making the next more difficult. At one point, she was stuck. She almost lost her glasses trying to free herself. Paladin Danse was a huge help, but she had to admit the whole thing was embarrassing. She’d fought ghouls and super mutants, but was undone by some mud.

At some point during the afternoon, Danse suggested getting solid ground underfoot. He wouldn’t admit it, _bless him_ , but he was getting tired of pulling her from the mud. She didn’t blame him. It _was_ exhausting.

They trudged through forest until a road finally appeared. Caroline had never been so grateful for anything before. Sweat was dripping from her forehead, getting into her eyes and making it hard to see. She silently cursed the heat while wiping the perspiration away with her shirt.

“Do you mind if we rest for a minute?” She asked Danse, taking the liberty to lean on a rusted out vehicle on the road and taking a deep breath. “I just… I need a breather.”

Danse nodded, looking equally as tired. He _had_ to be. He was wearing that damned power armor. “Of course, Knight.” His gaze went to the skyline, the sun low. “It looks like it’s going to be dark soon. Why don’t we find shelter and bunk for the evening?”

Caroline was relieved to hear those words. The pair wandered into a small shopping plaza as night finally fell. Taking shelter in a crumbling grocery store, they prepared to rest until the next morning.

Looking back on it now, it _might_ have been a mistake to stop. What happened as a result had complicated her life more than she’d wanted.

The first shot rang out half way through the night. The bullet ricocheted off of the wall above where she slept and Caroline covered her head, not sure what was happening at first. It was only when she heard Danse shout ‘ _Ad Victoriam_ ’ followed by the sounds of his laser pistol that Caroline had a pretty good idea what was transpiring after.

Grabbing her gun, Caroline scrambled from the dilapidated building, pulling her army helmet on as she did so. Taking cover behind a pillar, she checked the magazine for bullets. Satisfied, she glanced into the parking lot, her eyes taking in the chaos. There were quite a few raiders hidden behind old cars, guns firing at a one specific spot.

That’s when the Sole Survivor saw Danse standing in the line of fire. He was still wearing that heavy power armor, his head covered with a breathing helmet. He was firing his laser rifle at the enemy, leaving his armored body exposed to their bullets. Caroline’s jaw dropped at the sight. She’d never seen anything like it before.

It didn’t take long for Danse and his rifle to clear out the intruders. Caroline stared in disbelief, eyes widening as the last raider dropped to the ground, dead. The Paladin pulled the helmet from his head and he returned to her side, no worse for wear.

“We’re clear, soldier.” At the shock on her face, he raised an eyebrow. “Is something the matter?”

“You…” she pointed to where the raiders had been. “You killed them all.”

Danse frowned, her reaction confusing him. “Was I not supposed to?”

Caroline shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts of the muddled mess they’d become. “By yourself. You killed them _by yourself_ , Danse! How the _hell_ did you do that?”

Danse chuckled softly, finally understanding her. “Don’t underestimate the Brotherhood of Steel, soldier.”

Paladin Danse patted her shoulder as he walked by, his hair a mess and a smile on his lips. As he began to clear the camp they’d made, Caroline watched him, her heart thudding hard in her chest, awed by the way his face lit up when he smiled. She couldn’t recall seeing him smile so easily before.

Then the realization hit her.

He glanced back at her, power armor creaking as he did so. The grin hadn’t disappeared and if she wasn’t going crazy, she could have sworn it widened as he took in the sight of her. There were so many things she wished she could say in that moment, but all she could was stare.

_She was falling in love with Danse._

_Paladin Danse._

_Shit._


End file.
